diff --git a/builtin/rebase.c b/builtin/rebase.c
index 57dbfd2a4f..cb0bdfc3e4 100644
--- a/builtin/rebase.c
+++ b/builtin/rebase.c
@@ -712,51 +712,6 @@ static int rebase_write_basic_state(struct rebase_options *opts)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int apply_autostash(struct rebase_options *opts)
-{
-	const char *path = state_dir_path("autostash", opts);
-	struct strbuf autostash = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct child_process stash_apply = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
-
-	if (!file_exists(path))
-		return 0;
-
-	if (!read_oneliner(&autostash, path, READ_ONELINER_WARN_MISSING))
-		return error(_("Could not read '%s'"), path);
-	/* Ensure that the hash is not mistaken for a number */
-	strbuf_addstr(&autostash, "^0");
-	argv_array_pushl(&stash_apply.args,
-			 "stash", "apply", autostash.buf, NULL);
-	stash_apply.git_cmd = 1;
-	stash_apply.no_stderr = stash_apply.no_stdout =
-		stash_apply.no_stdin = 1;
-	if (!run_command(&stash_apply))
-		printf(_("Applied autostash.\n"));
-	else {
-		struct argv_array args = ARGV_ARRAY_INIT;
-		int res = 0;
-
-		argv_array_pushl(&args,
-				 "stash", "store", "-m", "autostash", "-q",
-				 autostash.buf, NULL);
-		if (run_command_v_opt(args.argv, RUN_GIT_CMD))
-			res = error(_("Cannot store %s"), autostash.buf);
-		argv_array_clear(&args);
-		strbuf_release(&autostash);
-		if (res)
-			return res;
-
-		fprintf(stderr,
-			_("Applying autostash resulted in conflicts.\n"
-			  "Your changes are safe in the stash.\n"
-			  "You can run \"git stash pop\" or \"git stash drop\" "
-			  "at any time.\n"));
-	}
-
-	strbuf_release(&autostash);
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int finish_rebase(struct rebase_options *opts)
 {
 	struct strbuf dir = STRBUF_INIT;
@@ -764,7 +719,7 @@ static int finish_rebase(struct rebase_options *opts)
 	int ret = 0;
 
 	delete_ref(NULL, "REBASE_HEAD", NULL, REF_NO_DEREF);
-	apply_autostash(opts);
+	apply_autostash(state_dir_path("autostash", opts));
 	close_object_store(the_repository->objects);
 	/*
 	 * We ignore errors in 'gc --auto', since the
@@ -1209,7 +1164,7 @@ finished_rebase:
 	} else if (status == 2) {
 		struct strbuf dir = STRBUF_INIT;
 
-		apply_autostash(opts);
+		apply_autostash(state_dir_path("autostash", opts));
 		strbuf_addstr(&dir, opts->state_dir);
 		remove_dir_recursively(&dir, 0);
 		strbuf_release(&dir);
diff --git a/sequencer.c b/sequencer.c
index 4a6812e90e..f5bb1cc1fb 100644
--- a/sequencer.c
+++ b/sequencer.c
@@ -3657,7 +3657,7 @@ static enum todo_command peek_command(struct todo_list *todo_list, int offset)
 	return -1;
 }
 
-static int apply_autostash(const char *path)
+int apply_autostash(const char *path)
 {
 	struct strbuf stash_oid = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct child_process child = CHILD_PROCESS_INIT;
diff --git a/sequencer.h b/sequencer.h
index ab43717fd6..ab686146d1 100644
--- a/sequencer.h
+++ b/sequencer.h
@@ -191,6 +191,8 @@ void commit_post_rewrite(struct repository *r,
 			 const struct commit *current_head,
 			 const struct object_id *new_head);
 
+int apply_autostash(const char *path);
+
 #define SUMMARY_INITIAL_COMMIT   (1 << 0)
 #define SUMMARY_SHOW_AUTHOR_DATE (1 << 1)
 void print_commit_summary(struct repository *repo,